Poisonoius Family
by Demitri
Summary: Rachael Webber's life is changing, and not for the better. Will she betray her best friend Cassandra, and let the insanity within take over? Chapter 2 Up! ~*PLEASE R&R*~
1. Oh, bite me! (to be said sarcastically)

Chapter 1:  Oh, bite me! (to be said sarcastically)

Isn't everyone here supposed to have the perfect little family? Isn't life supposed to always be made up in the end, and big family group hugs are at the end of every day? At least that's what I thought. Until my life changed, and I realized that my sitcom fantasy was horribly wrong.

I am, or should say was, Rachael Webber. My name is just dripping with irony, but I'll tell you about that little bit of my life later. I lived with my parental units, in what was publicly, the most perfect family on the block. But behind the stucco walls, we were a detached, uncivilized, group of beings, who had no common interests what so ever. And who attempted communication every dinner, with my mother and father's sorry excuse for a conversation. My father, gone all the time working for the multibillion dollar company called OSCORP. And my mother a house wife, who took advantage of every paycheck, however meek, that came home, to fulfill her every material need.

I'd like to tell you that this story is a joyous one, one with a happy ending, and friendship and love is spread around for all. But the thing is, if I did, I'd be lying.

I love science. Always have. My friend on the other hand, could definitely stand to live without it. Cass, well, how does one describe Cassandra? Well, she's kind of shallow, and she uses the work "like" too much. But still, she is the closest thing I have to a friend, and although were not completely into the same stuff, we can relate to each other.

We were walking side by side through the science exhibit. And as usual, were jokingly quarreling about our differences in taste.

"I can't believe you wore pink…and baby blue." I said in fake disgust. I knew that those were here favorite colors, but I still liked to joke around with her about it.

"And I can't believe you wore red and black today." She smirked at me. She knew my obsession with the absence of color, but she tested me also.

"Hey what's wrong with black?" I put on my most innocent smile.

We both laughed, but were interrupted by our science teacher. "Ladies, if you choose to continue talking, you chose an "F" in my class, I kid you not."

We were still chuckling in our minds, but obeyed and followed the rest of the class to the next exhibit. I parted from Cass, and walked to the front of the gathering of students. Spiders are also one of my favorite things in the world, especially the poisonous ones. I just love the idea of something so small having the power to kill prey as big as a human. 

But this time, spiders were not the thing on my mind. I couldn't keep my eyes off of Harry Osborn. I'd known him practically my whole life, because our fathers worked together. Ever since I was in seventh grade I'd had a crush on him. He never really seemed to notice me, and besides, Cass always said that I wasn't his type. 

I found myself staring at him, like I often did in science classes. I shook my head, and looked back at the spiders. I had promised myself that I wouldn't think about him anymore. We would never be, and I knew that, but I couldn't help but look back and gawk.

Cass pushed her way to the front and elbowed me. I jerked and grimaced at her, but she just smiled and looked at the spiders.

"Can I hold one?" She asked the lady.

The lady paused but reluctantly agreed.

"I don't see why not." She shrugged, and opened the back of a little clear box. When her hand emerged, a blue and red spider was perched on the base of her thumb.

                I wanted to protest letting Cass go anywhere near something with more than two legs. Her experience in the past with animals isn't well, one where any of the animals came out of her possession unharmed. I don't want to sound mean or anything, it's just that animals just aren't one of her specialties.

Despite my uneasiness, I decided to keep feelings to myself. I instead decided to use my signature verbality, sarcasm, and note the blue and red coloring."

"How patriotic." I said, letting the innuendo drip from every letter.

                She glanced at me, shooting a look that screamed an exuberantly unenthusiastic, "ha, ha." I shot back a grin of the utmost wit, and playfulness. My attention was driven away from Cass, when someone bumped me hard in the side, knocking me off balance, which was barely regained in time to avoid the spider cases. I turned to see who it was, and was ready to slap an insult across their face, but my mouth was stuck in a half open position when I saw that it was Harry Osborn. 

"I'm so sorry-Oh it's you!" He looked surprised to see me.

"Well, the last time I checked." I raised an eyebrow. 

                I heard Cass's faint voice in the background, she was exclaiming something about a stupid spider, but none of the other class mattered now. They all cleared away, to see the next exhibit, and it was just me and Harry.

"Oh, I just meant, well, I didn't know you were in my science class."

"Well, yeah. I have been for the whole year."

"I'm sorry. I guess I just forgot about you when our dad's stopped being friends."

"Yeah, they still work together, but their not on friendly terms anymore. My dad says that your father's been acting weird lately. That he's become more bossy, and arrogant, because of the upcoming inspection."

Harry looked hurt, and I regretted opening my mouth about what I had been told. His face flashed a hint of anger, and I became nervous.

"Don't you talk about my father like that! And the next time you're thinking of it, remember what kind of person your father is."

I didn't expect an insult out of him, and I decided to end the conversation, hoping that making it stop before truly ending would get it out of his mind faster, keeping the door, however small it was in the first place, open for a friendship between him and me.

"I'm sorry." I said, not allowing him to answer back before I darted towards the safety of Cass, and the rest of the students.

I turned back to see Harry talking to Peter Parker, a fellow science club member, and partner in most of the science fairs. They were looking at Marry Jane, and I immediately knew that my chances with Harry had been extinguished, when he walked up to her and started a conversation. I always had the feeling that he liked her, but I had also always been in denial, until this moment, when I decided to take my emotional shield off, and face the facts. 

"He's probably asking her out right this moment." I whispered to myself glumly.

Cass looked at me strangely,

"Huh? What happened?"

I avoided her question by pretending that I didn't hear it. I just kept walking, lazy feet dragging, and with a posture that made me seem at least two inches shorter than I really was. I was glad to find that the field trip was finally over. Not that I didn't enjoy watching the spiders…..or Harry….. just that I really wanted to get away from all these people I'm forced to call, classmates.

                I was finally outside, actually glad that Cass was leaving me. I watched as students got into various cars, and drove away. No doubt, a hot dinner and kind family awaiting them when they got home.

"Bye Rachael!" Cass yelled as she got on a city bus. "See you at school tomorrow!" She added.

It was a cliché statement, but I acknowledged it anyway.

"Yeah, school! Tomorrow! I'll be there!" I gave her one last wave and she disappeared behind the tinted windows of the smog stained bus.

I didn't spot my moms car, but she would come. Wouldn't she? I contemplated just taking the bus home, but I decided to try and trust my mother for once.

If she did forget me, it wouldn't be the first time. I remember distinctly when she left me at the Natural History Museum all those years ago. The museum staff pulled me around the whole place asking for a Mrs. Donna Webber. Of course a Mrs. Webber wasn't even at the museum, because she had already gone home, probably in a rush, so she wouldn't miss an episode of some bogus game show. My dad had to come pick me up, and he was furious at ME for letting my mom forget I was with her.

I didn't want that to happen again, but I also wanted to prove my mothers failure as a maternal figure wrong. So I waited, and waited, and waited. Not knowing, or trusting myself to believe that she was even coming for me. All of the Students had filtered away by now, and I was the only one left. 

"I wonder what Cass is doing right now." I whispered to myself. 

"Probably eating dinner with her father, watching TV on the couch, and laughing at whatever comedy show is on right now." I answered to myself.

"God, I wish I was doing that," I sighed. And I prepared myself for a long night of inactivity and neglect.


	2. Fatherly love? Yeah right!

Chapter 2: Fatherly love? Yeah Right!

Day wilted into a beautiful, innocent evening, and evening died, and cowered into a black hole, that is the big city night. And I waited, although I wasn't truly waiting for anything. I knew better than to fool myself into thinking that my mother had actually cared that she needed to pick me up today. 

I walked over to the wide cement staircase leading to the huge building I had spent most of my day in, and sat down on the bottom step. Every once in a while a passerby would look down on me, eyes either scornful or sympathetic, Giving me the stare that you give a homeless person, eyes showing a sense of guilt, but at the same time, automatically hating you for being the way you are. If only they knew I wasn't homeless, that I had a home, a good one. And that it didn't used to be a broken family. We used to have fun and actually love eachother.

Part of me just wanted to scream out at someone that I needed real, deep, true love. The phrase "I love you" is just so cliché these days that I never believe it when it's said to me, not that I hear it enough times in the day anyway.

I started to feel sorry for myself, but I quickly ran my mind off of that road. Thinking like that usually ended in suicide and I valued life more than I valued my own friends and family, which actually isn't saying much. 

My mind wandered for a while. I wasn't really thinking of anything, my brain just kind of shut off. That happens to me a lot, especially when my parents are yelling at me. It's a perfectly good time to doze, besides the "conversation" usually goes like this,

Rachael, you **expletive**, I can't believe you would do a **expletive** thing like that! BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH, **expletive** BLAH BLAH **expletive** BLAH!!!

And then it's my turn,

(Nothing)

See, I usually don't even say anything back, I don't need to, besides, anything I did say would be returned with a smack in the mouth for arguing. I never really talk to my parents. What's the point of it? Mine never even listen to what I have to say. They always tell me to go ask my teachers, even though I know that my dad would know what I was talking about. He's a Modern Medical Scientist working on the Human Development, Genome Theory Experiment for God sakes! 

My drifting thoughts were interrupted by a loud honking. I looked up and saw my dad's car pull up on the curb. He was waving at me though the passenger window, a big grin on his face. I was suspicious at first. Why would he be so happy? I'd think from past experience that he'd be infuriated, but he seemed pretty hunky-dory with the fact that I was still here and not at home.

I cautiously got up, lugging my black backpack, which lost one of the shoulder straps two years ago, and headed for the car. Any sudden moves, of the body…or mouth…could be fatal. I couldn't be sure of my dad's mood, and how much testing would brake it. As I came to the passenger door I leaned and looked in. I didn't say anything at first, I just kind of gave him a timid smile.

"Hop in!" He said it happily and enthusiastically, giving me the friendly "Come'ere!" hand motion.

                Glad that he seemed to genuinely be in a happy mood, I opened the door, and threw my backpack to the floorboard, sat down, closing the door with a Whack. I looked up at him innocently, but surprised at the same time.

                "You mean you're not mad that I let mom forget to pick me up?" I said each word cautiously, one wrong move, and…well, "Mental hand across the throat motion".

                "Of course not! Why would I be? It wasn't your fault that your irresponsible mother forgot to pick you up!" 

                I was practically in shock. I almost said something like, "Who are you and what have you done with my father?!" But I didn't want to spoil the moment. What was said next were his words and they were even more surprising that the first set.

                "I love you very much, and would never be mad at you for being stranded in front of a museum all day. For that I say sorry." He reached one of his hands and cupped it over my left one. My first intention was to jerk away, but a huge part of me didn't want it to stop. I looked up at him and smiled.

                "You really mean that?"

                "From the bottom of my heart." He took his hand away, and turned the key, igniting the car engine. A little voice in my head screamed "Don't believe him! He's tricking you!", but I ignored that voice. I ignored it, and whatever other voices were in my head. For a moment, and hopefully a forever-extended moment, I felt normal. Something in me just made me feel the way I was supposed to feel, I didn't want that feeling to end…ever.

                My dad started to drive, but it was in the total opposite direction of our house. I inquired the change of direction.

                "This isn't the way home." I stated.

                "I know. I have a little surprise for you." The answer was short, but surprisingly wholesome, and heartfeltedly satisfying.  I slumped back into the car seat. I had a feeling things were going to be very different from now on.

                The drive was relatively short, my heart was finally at ease, and there was no longer any conflict in my mind. We pulled into a parking lot, found a spot, and my father calmly stopped the car, took the keys out and held them in his lap for a few moments. We just sat there. I finally broke the silence.

                "You know, I love you too." I looked up at him, and gave a genuine smile of comfort, and relief. He looked at me and smiled also. 

                "I know. Lets go see that surprise of yours." We both got out of the car, and I followed him into the huge building I finally recognized as OSCORP, his office building.

                "Why are we at your work."

                "You'll see." We came into the "grand lobby", just few visitors' desks, a security desk, and luxurious armchairs circled around small coffee tables.

                "Should I close my eyes?" I questioned.

                "Not unless you want to run into any walls." He mused. 

                Was my father really changed? It seemed like it, and I really hoped that it was true. I needed his love. We walked up to the security desk, and for once, side by side. He smiled at the man behind the desk, and gave him his ID, which was pinned, to his coat pocket. The identification check was short and easy. A second after the card was given, and the security doors dinged open.

                "There you go, Mr. Webber." He said handing my dad back his ID, which he promptly clipped back on his coat. I followed him though the doors, and into the elevator. Fifteen stories up we stopped and came out into a room filled with cubicles. I again followed down a corridor and into an executive office. He sat down behind the desk, in a comfy looking black leather office chair. 

                The room was amazingly beautiful, even though it was an office. The walls were painted a sandstone-ish shade, and had magnificent paintings on the wall. Among the paintings were several science discovery awards, and photos of various people recieving awards. I noticed one photo pinned to his cork bored that surprised me. It was a photo of…well, me! It was an old one, probably my fourth grade photo, and looking at it gave me a little tear. He really does love me. 

                "Go ahead, sit down." He gestured towards one of the two simple chairs in front of his desk.  I took him up on his offer, and sat. There was a pause then.

                "I bet your wondering what your surprise is." He reached into a drawer next to his desk. The front of the desk covered what he was pulling out. Then I saw something white emerge. He handed me a white coat, and at first it didn't seem that special. I wanted to ask if this was the whole surprise, he brought me all the way to his office so he could give me a lab coat. Wait a minute! A lab coat? I looked at the label inside the neck, and it read, property of OSCORP, and then instructions on washing, but still…OSCORP! I found an ID card pinned to the front pocket and it had my picture on it. I don't know how it was a recent photo, but surely enough it was! I proudly read aloud.

                "Rachael Webber, head of developmental testing operations." I had to read it again to be sure.

                "Head of developmental testing operations?" I looked up at him shock written all over my face.

                "Are you sure I'm ready? A job here at OSCORP? It's what I've always dreamed of! How did you know that I love scientific studies, especially the ones going on here, at your work?"

                He smiled triumphantly, "I know a little bit more about you than you give me credit for. You start tomorrow at 5:00pm after school. I expect to see you here, working hard, and ready to learn hands on what it's like to be a real scientist."

                I was speechless, "I don't know what to say."

                "You don't have to say anything, just try it on, I want to see how it fits you."

                I did as was told, and the jacket fit like a glove. I felt really professional and unendingly thankful to my father for giving me this job.

                "Thanks dad!" Was all that came out of my mouth.

                "You don't have to thank me. Norman Osborn is the one that gave you the job."

                "Harry's dad?"

                "Yes." He brushed of the question, "I bet your hungry, do you want to grab a burger."

                "Yeah! That would be great." 

                "We missed your mother's famous meatloaf casserole. Thank goodness."

                "I love you dad." And this time I really meant it. All the years of neglect, and hatred, all the times I didn't even think of him as a real father. Everything he had ever done wrong in my life melted away as fast as it was established. And for the first time, I wasn't homeless, familyless, and loveless.

                "I love you too Rachael."


End file.
